


Missing Pieces

by Ending_To_Begin



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:07:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27324754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ending_To_Begin/pseuds/Ending_To_Begin
Summary: The student can break the mentor in many ways. We know Deadlock became Drift (again). Here is a take on how.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. ~Prologue~

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this sitting in my documents forever and I love the concept. It's not done yet, but hey, what's the harm in sharing these pieces that I love. If you like them too, lets keep it going and finish it one day!!

"You missed."

Fear froze Deadlock's systems in place. It was a fatal error, but if HE was behind him Deadlock was already dead anyhow. The next nanoklik brought a million thoughts flying through his processor. Many were centered around his confusion on just  _ how _ his target had survived, was still alive after all this time. Deadlock had been absolutely  _ certain _ the hit was fatal... But obviously he had missed something. The next question that came to mind was on why he, himself, was still functioning. Surely with a threat like that, it was  _ Deadlock's _ turn to die...

Deadlock turned in a fluid ark, simply repositioning his weaver stance to match his new target. It wasn't that he expected to get a shot off, nor was that his intention, but that his pride and dignity demanded he retain form. He had to meet death as the fighter he was. Nothing else would do.

An old smirk and the barrel of a rifle greeted Deadlock's optics, yet no shot was fired.

"Heh, going out fightin', Kid?"

Deadlock's optics narrowed- his only response.

His target's vents hissed with what could only be described as a sigh. It startled Deadlock internally, but he still held his form. Whatever the other reason his target had for hesitating- whatever it was he had to say- it was obviously important.

Normally with such close range and such ample opportunity, Deadlock wouldn't even think of pausing before firing his weapon, because even if he  _ did _ die, at least he'd be taking his shooter out with him. This situation, however, was far from normal. A dead bot stood alive before him- no tricks or illusions- and he had given Deadlock a chance to level his weapon on him... The least Deadlock could do would be to hear his words before they met their ends.

"Thought as much... But let me run somethin' by ya before blazin' fury rampages your processor."

Deadlock rose an optic ridge. "...I'm listening."

"... Ya ever considered the possibility you were meant for somethin' else? Or do you think getting your circuits blown ta' bits is really how you were meant to go out?"

Confused and feeling humbled for some reason, Deadlock lowered his weapon. Many thoughts raced through his helm, thoughts he had long thought himself no longer capable of. He could have easily said what he was thinking, about how he didn't want it to end this way... About how he wished the  _ all _ fighting would end, and that for a while extreme violence seemed like the only answer to violence...about how weary and cold he'd become and how he hated it... But Deadlock didn't. There was no need.

It had come... To this.

"End it... I recede. Finish your mission, Autobot.."

His battered rifle was tossed off to the side and Deadlock squared his shoulders. The barrel of his target's gun was still pointed at his face and charged to fire. With how large a threat Deadlock was, there really was no other way... At least it would be quick.

A double echo rebounded across the abandoned city as the shot was fired and a tarnished, metal-clad form fell to his knees.


	2. Chapter 1- How We Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We'll start where it all began, on the battlefield with mechs fighting more than each other.

A sharp, deafening explosion sounded and he could no longer move. The ground rushed to meet his frame and only then did Kup notice the Energon spilling from his frame in massive quantities. He would purge out in no time. All of his strength seemed to have left him, as if the hole blown right through his chassis had taken all his warmth and unending resolve. He didn't even have the ability to shudder out a final breath.

Everything was slowly going dark… internally he struggled, unwanting of a death so quiet, but still he lay frozen, unable to push even a single servo into the Energon soaked soil upon which his devastated frame now rested.

A dark ped came into view, stepping carelessly into the fresh pink fluid spilled upon the battlefield. Its counterpart rose off the ground and just as carelessly kicked Kup’s frame over so he could see the face of his assassin, or, more likely, so the currently unnamed mech could confirm his kill.

Through blurring optics and a failing processor, Kup managed to ascertain said mech’s designation and his rank.

If he could have chuckled, he would have. It wasn't such a bad death after all. There was nothing shameful in being taken down by one of the best and most ruthless killers among the Decepticon ranks. If anything, it was quite an honorable way for a seasoned veteran to go out. Congratulations would be in order for this one once he returned to the main Decepticon force. Before his optics fizzled out, however, Kup’s foggy processor noted something a bit strange…

This one- the best of the best and one of the most feared bots fighting for Decepticon cause- he looked down at Kup not with pride and unbridled madness, no, but with sadness… and regret…

~~~~~~~~~

An electromagnetic field brushed against Kup in a warm, comforting manner. It would have felt nice had it not alerted him to the dull, unfamiliar ache apparent in his chassis. He would have moved or allowed his systems to pick up in an effort to become more alert, but the field seemed to be holding everything in place right where it was. He felt frozen inside that warmth, and, though it was peaceful, something didn't feel quite right…

Sound and actual feeling came rushing back to him. There were many shouts and what sounded like explosions, and the ache in his chest felt oddly empty, save a painful plucking and tugging he couldn't quite place. It was strange and uncomfortable and still he could not move. There was no way to retreat with his back pressed firmly into soil…

Another rush of awareness slammed into Kup and the sounds and noises suddenly had meaning, as did the pain.

“GET THAT CHOPPER OFF OUR BACKS OR SO HELP ME THIS IS GONNA BE THE END OF US ALL!!”

“YESSIR!”

“Frag Ratchet! Give it up we have to go!”

A grunt sounded nearby as did the distinct clang of armor against armor.

“Agh! Firs- ah! Aid! Wh-”

“Let him do his work! He is managing and we've already lost too many. We need  _ him _ !”

Finally the first threads of mobility were coming back and Kup coughed. It was wet and heavy, but a good sign. He wasn't dead quite yet.

“Hang in there, Kup, almost gottcha…”

Familiar clicks and whirrs registered in Kup's audials and his next vent was a gasp. It sent excruciating pain zipping through his torso. His spinal struts bent and arched without his willing them to and peds dug deep into the ground, but still the working hands never ceased, not until Kup finally managed to fall back down and his optics came back online.

“Ra-tchet,” he breathed, barely audible.

The medic grunted, still trying to repair what he could of the blast Kup had taken to the chest.

“Shut up and direct your energy to internal repair systems. We are going to get you back to base and this HAS to hold.”

Kup grunted back, but did as he was told. His systems were struggling, likely due to the loss of Energon he had suffered, but focusing his attention seemed to help marginally.

Only Primus knew whether or not he would survive this… it was a long walk back to base across a raging battlefield.

~~~~~~

Kup sighed, onlining his systems slowly. The dull ache was still present, but he no longer felt hollow.

How many days had it been? How many hours and functionalities had been lost while he was under?

The first thing that came to Kup was memories of moving.. Stumbling across uneven ground, his arms hooked over two other mechs, one more familiar than the other. It was mostly the feeling- pain and stumbling… as for what he last remembered seeing, it was just a jumble of flashes and streaks of white and black… but they had made it. Kup had made it. That was evident in the fact he was waking up, his optics greeted by the dim lights of the Autobot medbay.

Grunting, he tried to sit up. A weight on his chassis impeded the movement, however, and he found he could not.

Apparently alerted by his efforts, the sound of peds making their way over reached Kup's audials. Remedy soon appeared in his line of sight.

“You need to rest,” he said, reaching for one of the monitors Kup was currently attached to. “Took quite a blow. It's a miracle Ratchet managed-”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” Kup grunted back. “Lucky I'm here, should be dead, just barely missed vital-blah-blah. I've gotten the spiel before, kid.

What I really want to know is how we're doing out there and when I'm gonna be up and ready to go again.”

Remedy leveled a stern and odd glance on the wrecker, but obliged quietly.

“Our forces are struggling. Too many wounded… dead...“

Remedy paused before looking back at the monitor, an apology plucking at his vocalizer.

“... I'm afraid Velocity was offlined shortly after you were brought here.”

Kup settled into his berth with a wince. 

“... That's too bad… the kid had potential.”

Both bots sighed to themselves. Too many times Kup had had to say that… And too many times Remedy, a young spark himself, had been the one to deliver the news- having watched sparks fade due to the increpid war.

“When will it end…”

The question was not directed to Kup, but he felt obliged to answer the harrowing question.

“It ends when the ideals of our leaders change. When finally one sees reason in the other, or has it forced upon him- that's the hope anyway… at this rate, it ends when we're all slagged though.”

Remedy shuddered. “You may be right. 

But… If we could prevent all this somehow… Stop the madness, heck even just once, perhaps I'd have more hope.”

“You and me both, kid…”

Kup sighed and relaxed his efforts. No use in forcing himself after having sustained damage enough to kill any mech. Had he technically offlined? Or had Ratchet managed to reach him just in time?

Questions to answer later. Remedy took note of the monitor’s readings and turned to Kup to answer the last of his spoken questions.

“You should be fully functional in a few days. I am sorry it's not sooner, but you had sustained more damage than most… anyone can survive. Your internal repair systems will need time to strengthen your protoform at the very least.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kup said quietly. “But if we're raided, you can bet your aft I'm gonna be the first one standin’...”

~~~~~~


	3. Chapter 2- Timely Omens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kup is still in medbay and reflects on events both past and future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to upload this ^^' But I hope it's worth the wait.   
> Either way, world building and these tidbits get us to where we are going in the end :3 I hope you Enjoy!!

Thankfully, it had never come to a raid.

Kup dreamed it had once- as what is there to do when your system needs to heal but recharge and dream?- but was grateful it had never come to that. His systems really were struggling. A blow to the abdomen or even one just a few inches lower would have been a piece of cake, but square to the spark- it was a miracle it hadn't been blasted out of him. It was an even bigger miracle it was regaining it's light, but even with his luck it needed time. More than anticipated. Much more.

Kup stood by his berthside, vaguely wishing he had a window, but also glad he did not.

Being privy to the growing carnage would have jarred his circuits into action- Something he wasn't yet strong enough for.

Without the window, though, he made due. He was just thinking, strategizing anyhow. A window would simply have prevented him from looking awkward and that's about it. Not that he cared about looking awkward. Bots, comrades were dying out there. That warranted much more concern than a silly pose… Though he was grateful the silliest of posers was still kicking;

Hot Rod was still alive under Springer's command.

Kup smirked to himself. Springer had really stepped up. He'd always been an excellent second in command, a good soldier when it came down to it, but he'd never had the task of making the orders before. From what Kup had heard, he carried on and kept his troop alive just as Kup would have, if not better. It was reassuring. A tiny blip of relief in a war where there was none.

And speaking of no relief- Kup frustratingly couldn't provide. So, as far as the Autobots had to be concerned, he really had been offlined. Few knew Kup was down there in the medbay because if they had, they would be banking on the idea he would return… the kids didn't need that kind of false hope. He was no hero… and his strength had already once failed.

Sighing, Kup tilted his head back. He was extremely bored- to the point it was stressing his processor. But there was little he could do.

Without knowing the situations, battle plans and tactics he devised were useless. Without being able to communicate with anyone other than medbots, his knowledge sat and rusted. There was no time for anyone to give him the full breakdown either. Once someone ended up in medbay, they either offlined, or as soon as their functionality returned, they were back out fighting, so Kup left them alone. He didn't bother the medics either. They were stretched thin as it was.

There was nothing to do but sit- or stand- and wait, and process.

~~~~~~~

“Good news!”

Even with the enthusiasm Remedy displayed, Kup saw just how exhausted the poor kid was.

It had been months since Kup had gotten stuck in medbay and the entire time the fighting had raged. The number of bots ending up in medbay had slowly declined, but that was because so many of them had been picked off already. And those that did come were injured far past the last-minute refusing-to-quit-until-everything-in-them-gave-out. It had gotten to the point they were losing bots in the medbay because there was simply nothing left to save.

“There's been something of a truce called.”

Turning to address him properly, Kup folded his hands behind his back.

“Is that so?”

Remedy nodded. 

“Yup! Megatron called it this morning. Optimus obliged and pulled everyone back.”

“Hmm… do you know any of the specifics? Did something happen before the truce was called?”

Remedy shook his head. “I wasn't there, and half of the information is rumors besides the actual conditions of the truce.”

He seemed so relieved Kup felt bad in prodding him.

“Thanks,” He gruffed.

"Even so, it's just such a relief, you know!"

Kup could hear the genuineness of the smile the tired kid wore, and yet it did not give him one of his own. There was something behind it that suddenly set him on edge.

Kup looked at Remedy speculatively.

"It's been going on so long!"

"What's got ya so excited," Kup queried, too unnerved to keep it in. "Ya said yourself it's mostly rumors…"

Remedy nodded, and despite his exhaustion and the haunt in his optics he moved with a flourish.

"I've been asked to accompany the party when the next meeting is called!"

He tried to hide it with a grunt, but Kup bristled.

"What happened to Ratchet? Or First Aid? Why ain't they goin'?"

"Ratchet sustained a small injury and First Aid is helping him with repairs," said Remedy, unfazed.

Something about it still didn't sit right with Kup. The entire situation screamed of something awful. It was a bad omen that their main medic could not meet with the rest, not even accounting for whatever skills Remedy did possess. Not to seek him short- not at all. Remedy was a smart mech, quick on his feet and deft with his servos. Still… Kup would have felt much better to hear Ratchet was going. Ratchet was sturdy. He was grizzled. He'd seen nearly just as much as Kup had- give or take a few millennia. He'd act at the first sign of trouble. Kup wasn't so sure Remedy was going to be able to sense any such trouble as fast as the older medics… still. He  _ was _ still online. Perhaps it was just paranoia…

Kup eyed Remedy. "Ya know when it's gonna be?"

The mech shook his helm, but looked back to Kup with a smile. "Nope! But soon, I'd wager… if there's any chance we can put an end to all this, I know Optimus will push for it!"

Tilting his helm in a half-nod, Kup couldn't dispute that. If there was even a chance… still. The likelihood of a trap.. Especially after so sudden an unexplained truce. Kup was almost too unnerved to let it slide.. almost.

Chances needed to be taken, even in war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you want some sneak peeks to the coming chapters feel free to find me on tumblr and ask me how <3  
> https://ending-to-begin.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Please leave a comment on what you think. <3  
> Want previews to what's coming? Want to have a say in where it goes? >> https://ending-to-begin.tumblr.com/post/633747456014893056/missing-pieces-progress


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